Identifying & Managing Stress 1967 a significant year

1
Identifying Managing Stress

• 1967 a significant year?
• Dartford tunnel opened
• Sergeant Pepper album released
• Average house price 3,840
• Ford Cortina was 749 new
• Petrol was 27p a gallon
• First heart transplant took place

2
Identifying Managing Stress

• 1967 a significant year?
• Holmes Rahe introduced the first
• model to measure stress
• Social Readjustment Rating Scale

3
1967 Social Readjustment Rating Scale

• Life Change Units
• 100
• 73
• 65
• 63
• 63
• 53
• 50

• Life Event
• Death of a Spouse
• Divorce
• Marital separation
• Imprisonment
• Death of close family member
• Personal injury or illness
• Marriage

4
1967 Social Readjustment Rating Scale

• Life Change Units
• 47
• 38
• 32
• 29
• 20
• 16

• Life Event
• Dismissal from work
• Change in financial state
• Major mortgage
• Change in responsibilities at work
• Change of working hours or conditions
• Change in sleeping habits

5
What could this look like in 2009?

• Life Change Units
• 47 now 75
• 38 now 72
• 32 now 64
• 29 now 50
• 20 now 58
• 16 now 52

• Life Event
• Dismissal from work
• Change in financial state
• Major mortgage
• Change in responsibilities at work
• Change of working hours or conditions
• Change in sleeping habits

6
Stress and the Recession

• Different trends appearing
• Downsizing
• Pressure on employees
• Fear of losing jobs
• More signs of stress related illnesses
• Less communication
• Loss of key staff

7
Case Study

• Chris Managing Director
• Responsible for downsizing programme
• Communicates all changes to staff
• Insufficient support from exec team
• Worrying constantly, anxious and stressed
• Work/life balance issue

8
Case Study

• Chris Managing Director
• Began stress management coaching
• Identified key stressors
• Introduced preventative measures
• Benefit to work and personal life

9
Common Causes of Work Related Stress

• Unachievable deadlines
• High workload
• Bullying
• Conflict
• Travelling
• Working long hours
• Taking work home
• Poor time management

10
Common Symptoms of Stress

• Headaches
• Migraines
• Anxiety/panic attacks
• Unnecessary worrying
• Insomnia
• Fatigue
• Lack of self-esteem

• Depression
• Mental Wellbeing
• Mood swings
• Anger aggression
• High Blood Pressure
• Heart problems
• Addictions

11
Facts about Stress

• 1 in 6 employees find their job too stressful.
• Employees suffering with stress underperform by
  over 30.
• The cost of stress per employee is 800-1,000pa.
• 13.5 million lost working days in Britain in
  2007/08.
• Stress and mental ill-health now represents 40
  of all incapacity benefit in the UK.
• Cases of litigation are on the increase.

12
What action can you take?

• Assess the risk of workplace stress
• Identify, reduce and manage the problems
• Get expert advice on future prevention
• Introduce corporate wellbeing initiatives
• Communicate with employees
• Share best practices